agreed. it's pretty clear to me now that basically if any reasonably intelligent engineer, with a reasonable understanding of what tools/patterns are available

agreed. it's pretty clear to me now that basically if any reasonably intelligent engineer, with a reasonable understanding of what tools/patterns are available to him in devising a solution, sits down and devices what seems to him to be a pretty obvious solution, that, according to the USPTO, it's very likely patentable. So it becomes a race to see who is the first person (who are we kidding here: large company) to reach the USPTO with the right paperwork. Little guys lose. Mind-blowingly dumb.